forbes



C. H. FORBES Jan. 24, 1956 INVALID WALKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 27, 1953 Clarence l-Z Forbes INVENTOR.

Jan. 24, 1956 Q FORBES 2,732,004

INVALID WALKER Filed Aug. 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Clarence H. Forbes 20 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent M 2,732,004 INVALID WALKER Clarence H. Forbes, Salt Lake. City, Utah Application August 27, 1953, Serial No. 376,825

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-22 This invention relates to an invalid walker and particularly to a walker constructed completely of tubular sections integrally united into wing and panel members and hingedly connected together so that the entire structure may be readily folded or expanded into usable condition.

A great deal of difliculty is frequently encountered in teaching spastic children, invalids, and the like, to walk after they have forgotten how, or if for some reason difficulty is encountered in walking. The present invention relates to a walker device adapted to support and assist such persons in learning to walk or may assist invalids in moving from placeto place when they are incapable of walking without support.

The construction according to the invention comprises a pair of wing members joined by a front panel member with both the Wing members and the panel member being constructed of light tubular material and having telescoping portions to provide various adjustments therein.

The device is made adjustable both as to width and height by providing adjustable shoulder rests at the top of the wing members and adjustablefoot members at the lower ends of each of the wing members so that the height may be conveniently adjusted. Likewise, the front panel member is provided with telescoping portions so that the width may be readily adjusted as desired. A seat member is provided between the back sides of the wing members and it is also preferably provided with adjustments so it also may be expanded as the walker is expanded and may be detachably mounted on suitable studs so that the seat may be applied in position after the invalid has entered the walker providing not only a convenient resting place for the invalid but also a locking member to prevent inadvertently falling thereout.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved invalid Walker.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an invalid walker constructed of light tubular material.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tubular invalid walker which may be readily adjusted as desired. 6

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved adjusting member for an invalid walker.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

.Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invalid walker with portions in section to show the construction thereof;

Figure 2 is a similar view of the invalid walker in folded condition; y v

Figure 3 is a cross section through the invalid walker taken intermediate the length of the wing and front panel members;

Figure 4 is a cross section taken substantially on a plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3 and showing the locking pin with the spring lock member thereon for securing the pin in adjusted position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a front cross 2,732,004 Patented Jan. 24, 1956 member taken substantially on a plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 1 and showing the method of adjusting the cross members together with the hinge arrangement; 7

Figure '6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing a modification of the telescoping adjustment;

Fig. 7 is a view partially in section of the telescoping seat member in adjusted position;

Figure 8 is an enlarged view taken substantially on a plane indicated by the line 88 in Figure 7 and showing the telescopic seat and the bracket with the key hole slot for mounting a seat;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified cross locking brace;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 but showing the brace member in an unlocked position;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a modified shoulde rest according to the invention.

In the exemplary embodiment according to the inven-. tion a right wing section 10 and a left wing section 12 are joined together by means of a front panel section 14. The front panel section 14 comprises an upper cross member indicated generally at 16 and a lower cross member indicated generally at 18. Member 16 is divided substantially centrally thereof inthe two end sections 20 and 22 which are joined together by means of a telescopic member 24. The bottom cross member 18 is likewise constructed of a pair of end members 26 and 28 joined v cross members 16 and 18 the end members thereof-are provided with suitable aligning openings 36 while telescoping member 30 is provided with a plurality of aligned openings 38 and a fastening key 40 which extends readily therethrough. In order to maintain the pin 40 in locking position a spring clip 42 is rigidly and permanently attached to the head 44 of the pin 40 and is constructed of spring material of such length that it embraces more than a half of the outer telescoping member such as 26 and has sufficient strength that a material pressure must be applied to remove the spring clip from the tubular member. The right wing section 10 is constructed of a front tubular body portion 50 and a back tubular ,body portion 52 arranged in a substantially vertical but upwardly converging relation. A horizontal cross member 54 is arranged adjacent the top portion of the body members 50 and 52 and a horizontal cross member 56 is arranged adjacent the lower portion of the body members 50 and 52. The left wing section 12 is likewise constructed of a front body member 58 and a rear body member 60 with a top horizontal member 62 and a lower horizontal member 64.

' Split hinge members 66 and 68 are applied to the opposite ends of the upper cross member 16 and similar hinges 70 and 72 are applied to the opposite ends of the lower cross member 18. Each of the members 66 and 72 is constituted as having a central substantially tubular portion 74 which is journaled on the respective bodyportions 50 and 58 and a transverse split tubular portion 76 which is rigidly connected to the respective ends of the crossmenibers by any suitable means such as the rivet 78. Horizontal spacer members 54 and 56 are so arranged with respect to the cross members 16 and 18 that the hinge members 66 and 70 attached to the body member 50 are in contact wtih the opposite sides of the respective cross members 54 and 56, so that the wing member 10 is locked with respect to longitudinal motion with rev} spect to the panel member 14. Likewise the horizontal cross members 62 and 64 are similarly placed in respect to the hinges 68 and 72 so that both the wings and 12 are locked against vertical movement with respect to the panel 14.

In order to fold the member, one of the members such as the wing 19 is swung in against the rear side of the panel 14 while the other wing such as the wing 12 is swung against the front side of the panel 14 to form a compact easily carried bundle which may be either conveniently carried or stowed away when not in use.

In order to properly support the wings 10 and 12 with respect to the panel 14, walking braces are provided across the corners and preferably provided by means of applying bosses to the cross members 16 and 18 in spaced relation to the ends thereof and hingedly connecting brace members 82 on the bosses and provide suitable locking brackets 84 on the wing members so that an end 86 of the locking braces may be stuck through the bracket 84 to rigidify the corner sections. Preferably the locking brackets 82 are applied at each of the four corners provided by the junction of the cross members 16 and 18 with the wings 10 and 12. Instead of using brackets 82 having a member 86 engaging in a bracket 84, the ends of the bracket may be both hingedly connected as shown in Figure 9 and a hinge pin 90 may be placed adjacent the central portion of the brace and the U-shaped clip 92 placed on the end of one of the members so that the members may be sprung into locking relation or unsprung as shown in Figure 10.

The body members 50 and 52 of the wing 10 are provided with ofi'set portions 94 and 96 which terminate in vertical substantially parallel members 98 and 108. The parallel members 98 and 100 are joined together adjacent the top portion thereof by means of a horizontal brace member 102. A shoulder support member consists of an arcuate tubular portion 104 having suitable stop members 106 and 108 arranged in the end thereof and having adjusting arms 110 and 112 rigidly connected thereto and extending into the members 98 and 100. Suitable lock pins 40 are provided in suitable apertures in the members 98 and 100 and also in the arms 110 and 112 which are provided with suitable apertures 114. Lock pins 40 are preferably provided with the spring clips 42 to retain the pins in position so that the rests 104 will remain in adjusted position.

In the modification according to Figure 11, the aroumember having a bight 116 rigidly connected to the bottom side of the arcuate member 104 and terminating in the legs 118 and 120 which engage the members 98 and 100 in the same manner that 110 and 112 do. The legs 118 and 120 are likewise provided with suitable apertures 122 for the engagement of lock pins 40.

In order to properly adjust the height of the walker the body members 59 and 52 are provided with extension legs and 132 which extend upwardly within the body members 50 and 52 and are adjustably connected thereto by means of suitable lock pins 40 having the spring clips 42 for retaining the pins in adjusted relation. The legs 58 and 60 are likewise provided with extension legs 134 and 136 which are likewise held in position by means of the spring-headed lock pins 40. Preferably the upper portions of the body members 52 and 60 are provided with suitable knobs 138 so that the usual back-supporting strap may be placed across and behind the shoulders of the invalid.

In some instances it is desired to dispense with the telescoping member 30 which might conceivably be removed and lost, a modification is constructed according to Figure 6 in which one of the ends of the cross members such as 26A is a continuous member telescoping inside of the other end such as 28 so that the entire structure is integral and cannot be lost.

In order to provide a seat for the rest of the invalid inner telescoping member 148 has a hinge pin 154 connected thereto and a hinge bracket 156 hingedly connected thereto. The brackets 152 and 156 are provided with key hole slots 158 which are operatively supported on headed studs 168 and 162 on the back body members 52 and 60.

Preferably the telescoping members and 148 are provided with an inter-locking member such as downturncd portion 164 on the inner member and an inturn portion 166 on the outer member so that after the members are assembled they cannot be readily disassembled.

In the operation of the invalid walker, the front panel section 14 is adjusted to the proper width for the individual by adjusting the telescoping members 16 and 18 and locking the members in adjusted position by the clip pins 4%). The shoulder rests 104 will then be adjusted to the correct distance from the cross members 54 and 62 so that the hands of the invalid readily grasp the cross members 54 and 62 to suport the weight of the invalid or guide the walker. The legs 138 to 136 will finally be adjusted to correct the overall height of the walker. The seat hinge brackets 152 and 156 will be secured to the studs and 162 after the patient has entered the walker and a back strap, not shown, may be attached to the studs 138 so that the invalid will be substantially supported and in'little danger of falling.

When it is desired to store the device the seat member may be readily removed or preferably one end of the seat will be removed and the other end of the hinge member will be connected to the stud 138 on the same side so that the seat will be attached in parallel relation to one of the members such as 52 or 60. The brace members 82 will then be unlocked and one of the members such as 10 will be folded inwardly against the backside of the panel member 14 and the other member will be folded against the front of the panel member. Preferably the top 16 of the panel member is relatively shorter than the bottom member 18 so that the sides converge inwardly as well as forwardly and backwardly.

The various telescoping portions of the walker are provided with anti-rattling devices to prevent annoyance to the user and others. Preferably the anti-rattling is secured by providing the inner member with a pair of longitudinal parallel slits and expanding the metal between the slits to provide a friction surface adapted to contact the inner side of the outer member.

For the purpose of exemplification a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described according to the best present understanding thereof. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made in the arrangement and construction of the parts thereof without departing from the true spirit and purpose of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An invalid walker comprising a front section ineluding upper and lower cross members, vertical spacer members integrally connected to said cross members, right and left side wings, each wing including a pair of upwardly converging tubular body members, a pair of horizontal spacer members integrally connected to said body members, a split hinge secured at each end of said upper and lower cross members, each of said hinges including a tubular portion journaled on the front body member of the respective wing members, the horizontal spacer members of said wing members being spaced to engage opposite sides of said hinges, locking braces extending between said cross members and said horizontal spacer members, a pair of offset parallel top sections on each pair of wing body members, a brace integrally connecting said top sections, an arcuate arm rest, a pair of adjusting arms secured to said rest, said arms extending into said top sections, a tubular leg member telescopingly received in the lower end of each of said body members, a headed stud on the inner side of each of the rear body members, a seat member, a hanger bracket at each end of said seat member, each of said hanger members having a key hole slot, said key hole slots detachably mounting said seat on said headed studs.

2. An invalid walker comprising a front section including upper and lower cross members, vertical spacer members integrally connected to said cross members, right and left side wings hingedly mounted on said front section, each Wing including a pair of upwardly converging tubular body members, a pair of offset parallel top sections on each pair of wing body members, a brace integrally connecting said top sections, an arcuate arm rest, a pair of adjusting arms secured to said rest, said arms extending into said top sections, said arms being constructed as a U-shaped member rigidly secured to said arcuated rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

